The Well-being Plan

My pregnancy & post-birth Well-being Plan

The Well-being Plan is a two-page plan, endorsed by NICE, that helps you start thinking about how you feel and what support you might need in your pregnancy and after the birth.

This plan is to help you prepare the support you might need to look after your mental health. While coping with the physical changes in pregnancy, birth and beyond, your emotional health is important too. Many women feel anxious, unhappy, mentally distressed, depressed or even more severely mentally unwell during this time, which can be unexpected.

If you find it hard to talk to your partner, family, friends or midwife about how you are feeling, you could use the Well-being Plan to help start the conversation. Or you can keep it private if you prefer.

Talking about how you are feeling helps you get through the exciting yet challenging time of becoming a parent. It doesn’t matter who you talk to, but it is worth having someone in mind that you can trust and who can support you if needed. One of the first steps to getting better is knowing and accepting that you are unwell.